Dan Armstrong - Man & Guitars

Ventura was another badged name that offered a copy of the Dan Armstrong · Ampeg guitar. With the model number of V-3000, it was one of the closest factory made copies to the original Dan Armstrong model that was ever made, with the possible exception of the Electra 2246WC model, which could easily have rolled off the same assembly line.

As seen upper left, this model has had a few alterations to it. Instantly obvious is the replacement knobs on the volume and tone controls. It's difficult to say for certain, but they appear to look like knobs from a Fender Stratocaster guitar. Given the sharp contrast in colors, they may have been installed for easier viewing on stage or in dark environments. Seen better in enlarged view, the phillips type scratchplate screws have all been replaced with larger straight headed screws. If that rosewood saddle is original it looks to need some lemon or linseed oil as it's very dry.

At right, and seen from the backside the neck appears to have a minor hole in the center strip near the neck cavity. No doubt at one time someone had placed a strap peg at that location and since removed it. The lower cutaway horn also shows signs of sporting a strap peg. Ironically, one of the strap pegs at the bottom is missing. With so many strap locations being deployed, it seems likely that this instrument has had a few owners.

Seen better in the enlarged view, one can better see the minor hole in the center wood strip near the neck cavity. Also, one can make out the ground wire running from the control cavity to the tailpiece. More easily seen is the lack of a pickup screw that secures the pickup to the body. Also notice two small strips od wood that makes a shim for the neck by the bottom two neck bolts.

At upper left, the full length of the rosewood fingerboard can be seen, as can the headstock showing the Ventura name across it, while at right, and like the Dan Armstrong model, four chrome plated carriage bolts secure the neck to the body.

Above left, the original rosewood saddle has been replaced with a larger one of a lighter color. One can only speculate as to why. Perhaps the original was lost or broken, or maybe the new one has more height to it for slide guitar. At right, and according to factory literature the V-3000 model features a 'three piece laminated birch and mahogany neck that is fully adjustable.'

Above left, a closer look at the headstock of the Ventura. Unlike many badged copies who's headstocks are shaped after the Gibson 'open book' style - the V-3000^s is shaped more like the instrument it's copied after. Even the faux-wood matching truss rod cover is shaped and styled like the original Dan Armstrong model. One thing different, however, is the nut. The stock nut has a white color to it. It is unknown why it has since been replaced.

Above right, it appears an additional strip of birch was applied to the 3-piece laminated neck in order to get the shape required for the headstock. Suprisingly, the original factory tuners are still employed as most get changed out over the years.

At left a full body shot of the Ventura - seen much better in the enlarged view, while at right the V-3000 can be seen in it's factory green-lined case.

Above left, another Ventura V-3000 guitar in its factory case. At right, a closer look at the Ventura, still in it's case. Notice the stock rosewood saddle as well as the stock chrome plated volume and tone knobs. The 3-way selector switch works with the tone control for a variety of sounds from a single pickup instrument. It's amazing that neither of the scratchplates are broken on these guitars.

These guitars, again like the original Dan Armstrong models, feature interchangeable pickups. According to Ventura literature the V-3000 comes stock with two pickups. Again, according to literature 'Each guitar is supplied with two pickups, one pickup is designed to accentuate the treble tones, the other pickup accentuates the bass tones." In other words, it's a lot like having an original Dan Armstrong guitar with both the Rock Treble and Rock Bass pickups. While I never tried it myself, I have heard of others that purchased original Dan Armstrong · Ampeg modular pickups and slide them into their Ventura guitars.

At left, this Ventura headstock can be seen resting in it's factory hardshell case. Unlike the prior model, it's still sporting a stock nut. At right, it appears that several laminates were used to make up the headstock.

At left, a Ventura V-3000 model lies on a glass counter top, allowing us to plain-down the fingerboard with our eyes. At right, the same instrument that's been flipped over. Seen better in the enlarged view, a bit of an oddity. It appears that two shims (of sorts) have been placed between the tailpiece and the acrylic body. One can only assume that this was to raise the string action. Notice that one shim resides over the grounding wire, obviously applying pressure to keep it in place under the raised tailpiece.

At left, something a bit strange in the neck pocket. A couple of guitar picks act as shims on the neck. While this is not unusual it tends to fly in the face of logic, as a neck shim tilts the neck to acquire a lower action. Here, someone has done the same.... but then - as seen above - they turned around and raised the bridge/tailpiece with shims which in turn, then, raises the string action right back up again. Quite the conundrum.

If that weren't enough, we have yet another anomaly; a hole that's been drilled through the acrylic - in the neck pocket between the back two carriage bolts just about dead center on the guitar pick shims. I can't help but wonder if it was an attempt at a micro tilt adjustment screw to quickly allow the angle of the neck relative to the body to be changed without totally removing the neck. I can't think of any other reason for the existance of this hole. Likely, it was abandoned when the user discovered it wasn't as easy as loosening four screws and turning a screw to change the neck angle. On these instruments the strings need to be very loose, the scratchplate removed, then loosening the four carriage bolts. After all these steps it's better to totally remove the neck to ad a shim than drilling an unnecessary hole in the acrylic body. Lastly, notice the broken away corner of the scratchplate at upper left as well as a strap peg mounted in the center laminate of the 3-piece laminated neck. At right, and much less dramatic - the headstock reveals its stock tuners.

At left and right, the headstock on this model looks original, save the 3-ply black white black truss rod cover. Though shaped like the Dan Armstrong cover, it seems a bit too narrow. There appears to be some blistering in the veneer at the top as well as the bottom of the headstock by the nut.

A nice Ventura Dan copy that's all original except for the tone pot. According to the owner "It’s not metric and looks to be a long shaft so it sticks up a bit more than the volume knob, but works perfectly.." Depending on the actual shaft, if its a solid metal shaft it should be possible to cut it down in length so that it matches the volume knob. The owner states "The 3-way toggle switch works as some kind of treble/tone cut.

At left, also mentioned is that he "put a 3 piece super thin shim in the neck pocket to get the action spot on." So it's not a neck 'tilt' per sexy, but more like a neck 'riser'.

At left, the headstock, with the exception of the truss rod cover looks to be unmolested with the exception of an unusual truss rod cover that has the name Marcie on it. I can only assume that it's the name of the wife or girlfriend of a past owner. At right, this headstock still has the original tuners.

As seen at left is a black Ventura V-3000 model. I have never heard of such a model from Ventura or any other badge name and as such I believe it's a custom made body, perhaps made of Butyrate just like Dan's prototypes were. Or, maybe it's a wooden body like the Ampeg AMG models.

As can be seen here, this model appears to be missing its truss rod cover, but all the other hardware looks to be original and in tact.

Whatever the body material consists of, it can be handy having the original clear acrylic body as well as a black colored body at ones disposal. Assuming the two banana-type electrical connectors are present in the cavities of both of the guitar bodies, the hardware can be changed over from one body to the other in relatively short order.

Ventura was a brand of instruments imported from Japan by C. Bruno and Son Inc. during the 1960^'s - 1970^'s and who held offices in New York, San Antonio, and Los Angeles. In Canada, they were distributed by Bear & Son LTD. in Willowdale 425, Ontario. Retail price with hardshell case was $199.50 in 1970.

Sources all indicate that C. Bruno and Son Inc. was bought by Kaman (Ovation) in the 1980^'s after which the Ventura brand disappeared. Kaman Industries (the parent company of Ovation) actually acquired C Bruno & Son in 1971. Although there isn't much in the way of records from this period, it is believed that Kaman contracted with manufacturers such as Matsumoku (parent company of brands such as Aria from '71 until the brand was discontinued in 1982. There is also evidence that C. Bruno and Son contracted with other companies before the '71 Kaman acquisition such as Kasuga and others.

That last paragraph helped to explain a long overdue quandry for me as it's commonly known and accepted by most that Ventura instruments were made at the Fugijen factory, and for the most part I would have to agree with them. However, it is a matter of personal history that while in my junior year in high school my Ventura clear guitar I had ordered finally arrived. As I proceeded to open the cardboard box it was packaged in a greyish-black rectangular sticker with white letters caught my eye. It was placed on the side of the box, not far from the shipping label. The letters spelled out 'Matsumoku'. I remember wondering what that word meant, and figured it was the factory that built it, or a distributor etc. but it really wasn't very important to me as I was in much too big a rush to get to my new guitar.

Fast forward several decades and what was of little consequence to me back then is now.... to many... very, very significant. It seems owners and collectors these days want to know more about guitars from this era than anything made prior, or since - up to and including the worker(s) who made their instrument. Given this level of fascination I'm of the opinion that many are on a bit of a nostalgia binge when it comes to the Japanese golden era of copies, of which I am not totally immune given this web site.

As such, my personal experience back then may help to support the statements of some who have long wondered, and it certainly made me ask... was my guitar started at Fugijen, and completed at Matsumoku? Is it possible that Matsumoku made the entire instrument under contract? Given the sticker on the box it would at least seem possible, but I'll never know for certain. Still, it goes to show both the confusion, and for some, even borderline obsession, that exists about these guitars to this day.